‘He is my buddy’ - Ravi Shastri opens up about relationship with Sourav Ganguly after 2016 rift

Former Team India coach Ravi Shastri has called Sourav Ganguly his buddy as he opened up about his relationship with the current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president. Back in 2016, former Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble piped Shastri to become India’s head coach. Following Kumble’s appointment, Shastri accused the then Cricket Advisory Committee member Ganguly of being “disrespectful” for remaining absent during the interview.

Apparently, the CAC committee comprised Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly. However, when Shastri’s turn came, Ganguly wasn’t presented. This irked the former Indian all-rounder as he called Ganguly’s action ‘disrespectful’ back then. Responding to Shastri’s remarks, Ganguly had said that the southpaw should have been physically present in the interview instead of speaking on a zoom call.

I have known Sourav Ganguly from a very young age: Ravi Shastri

In a recent interaction, Shastri opened up about that episode as said there’s no rift between him and Ganguly. In fact, he called the former Indian captain his buddy.  He also slammed media for blowing the matter out of proportion.

“He (Sourav Ganguly) is my buddy. That is again nice Bhelpuri and Masala for the media. I have said that time and time again. Yes, he has his views. At times, there might be a clash. But listen I have known Sourav from a very young age,” Shastri said in a conversation with Republic World.

Recalling the rift in 2016, Shastri admitted that he was disappointed as his ‘junior’ Ganguly wasn’t present in the meeting.

“The reason I said it was because there was a meeting in Calcutta and I was on a Zoom call from outside. And the committee was Tendulkar, Laxman and Ganguly. So when my interview came up, Ganguly was missing. He was not in that interview. That’s the reason why I thought it was disrespectful and I have every right to say it,” asserted Ganguly.

Shastri also went on to say that the rift didn’t affect his and Ganguly’s overall relation as the duo continue to share a great bond. “I am a guy who can let things go very easily. I am not the kind of guy who keeps anything inside and waits for the day when I can jump on that person or something,” he added.